USC (cali, not carolina) Fraternities

[MrTrojanMan]

can anybody tell me about USC fraternities? maybe rank em?

i went through rush this fall and still cant seem to make up my mind. it still seems a bit overwhelming. and i like alot of them.

i did particularly like sigma nu, lxa, sae, pike, although i did not have the chance to check out all the houses due to time constraints. i also checked out teke and sig ep, and i didnt feel as though i got along with them too well, so i will not be considering those two.

sigma nu is chill and seem to have a good reputation, which i feel is important. i espeically like their idea for a phialnthropy, sigma zoo. same with lamba chi. sae seems like the top house, and we seemed to get along the best, but ive heard shady things. also all their guys are white, whats up with that? pike is pretty fun, but a bit too rowdy soemtimes. also it seems as though they will get kicked off the row like any day.

ill admit, the main reason i want to join is because i want a more active social life. but i also want the other benefits of going greek. like organinzing philanthropies/formals/socials, alum connections, house stability, chapter house quality, #of actives, reputation, etc. these are important to me as well. but im mostly joinig to have fun.

i plan on rushing again for spring. but any input would help a lot, thanks.

oh ya, and whats up with "stumpos raiders"? last i heard they were kicked off. but my suite mates want me to join with them. it turned me off at fisrt but most of them are from where i am from (orange county, newport beach to be more specific). in fact, i describe myself as that type of OC/newport stereotype, laid back, smooth with the ladies (just playin) . but im also very academically motivated and i want the whole fraternity experience.

thank you

[Betarulz!]

Okay, I'm not from Cali, or even anywhere close (try Nebraska), but I do a lot of work with University recruitment and trying to convince HS Seniors to consider going through rush. I'm going to tell you what I tell most everyone...and probably what a lot of people on Greek Chat will tell you too.

First, try to make a list of exactly what you are looking for from a fraternity. Set some minimum standards too for things like chapter GPA, intramurals, or whatever other quantiative characteristic is important to you. Get rid of any house that doesn't meet those standards.

Second, meet with as many chapters as possible, and try to get an immediate feel for whether or not you could live with these guys for 3 years. If something doesn't feel right, just move on. So from what you've described, stay away from Teke, SigEp and Pike if thats how you really feel. Also, if it bothers you that the other group is all from the OC, then don't consider them. Remember, youre looking for "your" fraternity.

Once you've narrowed your choices down to a more manageable number, the chapters should all be pretty equal. Now it's time to forget all the reputation BS, the numbers - whether it's GPA or socials or number of members - whatever. Youre looking for the place you fit in best. Go where it feels like home.

You'll end up where you were meant to be if you just follow your heart and focus on finding friends. It may not be very comforting to hear that, but I think most Greeks would agree.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

[AZ-AlphaXi]

Thanks for some good, sane advice. I've been trying to comeup with some method to try to help my son in the fall of 2005 and this advice is a great way to start to approach the selection.

thanks!!

[MrTrojanMan]

that was a very helpfull post. and i did what you described but i feel that there could be multiple houses where i would feel at home. and i havent even seen all of them. i was meaning to check out sigma chi as well, but rush events tend to conflict. thats why i need some first hand knowledge, mostly from those who are in USC sororityies b/c i feel that chapters may have slightly skewed images of themsleves and other chapters.

i would really appreciate some unbiased first-hand opinions and facts. choosing the right chapter is really fustrating.

thank you

[Stacekat]

Ok, I just moved from Newport and am a Trojan wife. I don't mean to start any race wars but Newport Beach is like the WASP USC mecca. USC has an OC alum chapter and a NB Alum chapter if that tells you anything. So I'm not so sure about what your problem with Sigma Nu being mostly white has to do with it. Most chapters at USC are mostly white. You've spent your whole life surrounded by that kind of demographic. What's the issue? Did you go to Newport Harbor or CDM?

As far as who to choose, or what house is best...I'm not going to give you an answer. I'm going to give you the very IFC/Panhellenic friendly answer. Go with your gut. If you feel you need to cut the houses that you don't want to go back to. You are probably right. But you should spend more time with each fraternity that you are considering. Do you want to be a leader or a follower? What kind of leadership opportunities would be available to you in certain houses? What kind of alumni programs does each chapter have? I know at all schools, but especially USC, that it is important for you to remain active as an alum. This is a lifetime commitment. What kind of stuff does the chapter have for alumni? What do they do for homecoming (besides party)? What is truly important to you in joining a fraternity, besides the obvious social aspect? Every Fraternity is social. You need to make sure that your ideals and the ideals of the fraternity are a match. Look at the international website of each fraternity so you can get to know about what they stand for as a group.

PM me if you have questions.

[MrTrojanMan]

now i dont have a problem with a specific chapter being white. but SAE Seemed to have no minorities. they may have a couple that i havent seen. but if they dont, i would prefer a more deverse chapter. i diidnt ask if they did, it didnt really cross my mind at the time. USC is a pretty deverse school with all kinds of opinions and walks of life. i enjoy that. i am white myself, mostly (one quarter pakistani, one quarter persian, half british). i look and act like a typical oc kid. and i find that i can be sociable with just about anyone.

im looking for an answer like : sae guys are really down to earth with great party planning skills. or sigma nu has the most organized philanthropy with the most people in attendance. or lambda chi has a strong alumni presence and support. or that pike tends to be more of a liability issue with the university. or that tke is falling apart and loosing its charter by next yr.

not something like this chapter is better than that one because theyre cooler. ive heard the rumors but alot of them tend to conflict with each other giving me a skewed image of certain houses. most of these rumors have originated from non-greeks. thats why im here, to inlist the help of people who have better knowledge than a rushee. i feel that what i know is pretty limited. and its hard to have every question answered by a house when i have to go to the next event in the same night.

i plan on rushing again, but i insist on getting all the info that i can about evrything. even the gory details . i dont think anything would stop me from pledging a house that i really like, unless its something truly tragic.

[Betarulz!]

Well considering the overall lack of response from the SoCal kids...

I still think you are focusing way too much on the reputation of each chapter. For the people that are alumni, chapters change, so any input they give you'll have to take with a grain of salt. For those at USC, their opinions are skewed too, focusing on their own experiences and points of contact.

This isn't meant to be critical of you, because I really do understand what you are trying to do, but when push comes to shove, it's not worth joining a chapter simply because of what someone else tells you...unless that person is a sibling and really looking out for your best interests. As far as the stability of a chapter, it's been my experience with campuses in the Midwest that you can pretty much tell from how a chapter operates. Even from the outside you can see which chapters are weak or seem to be having issues with the campus or police.

If you absolutely must focus on reputation, I'd say just keep track of what you hear - so long as you aren't listening to the same people over and over again. Talk to a variety of people - including sorority members, faculty and staff - about the greek system and watch the campus paper for any Greek related news. See which chapter has representatives on things your interested in, IFC executives, and student government. Those whose chapters are very involved likely have the type of reputation you are seeking.

All of that said, reputation and numbers (whether membership, GPA, intramurals, involvement, philanthropy, etc.) will only get you so far. I know you said that you feel equally comfortable with several chapters right now. Look for that chapter in which you feel the most comfortable, that chapter you can imagine just sitting around with the guys and not doing anything with but still having a great time, the guys you can do everything from playing video games with, to making it to a football game, to going to the rec center, to studying for a test together, to having a great theme party with. If there is one chapter that can fill all those roles better than the others, than that's where you belong. It's not going to be something you're able to put in to words per se. It's going to be a feeling of being wanted, a feeling of acceptance, and a feeling that those guys care about you as a person.

In sum, you know what you are looking for numbers wise, and being close to the situation is the best vantage point, you also know what you hope to find in terms of social, diversity and those less tangible elements like reputation. Cut down to a smaller group of chapters (like maybe 3 or 4 max) that meet your criteria. After that, focus on your feelings. Your chapters will be pretty much the same numberwise, so you can ignore all those things like reputation, and really focus on finding that place you know you were meant to be.

Let me give you an example: On my campus, my chapter of Beta Theta Pi is almost identicle to a chapter of Farmhouse Fraternity. The chapters are practically tied for the number of times being #1 in grades since Farmhouse was founded on our campus in about 1910, both having been in the top three for grades each of the last 16 semesters or so. Both chapters are extensively involved on campus, and produce some amazing leaders. When rush comes around, most guys who join either house end up choosing that house over the other, so we're in constant competition with them for new members. For those guys who are stuck between the two, they have nothing to really go on besides their gut feelings. When you ask them why they chose the house they did, the inevitable answer is usually "It just felt right when I got to Beta/Farmhouse, I looked at Farmhouse/Beta and they were so close, but once here - something clicked." What I'm trying to convey to you is that you need to get to that point in order to make the right decision. I'm sure youre saying that I don't get it, and being from Nebraska I may not relate to your situation, but believe me, I work with plenty of incoming freshmen who ask me this same sort of question, and I tell them the exact same thing, and of the few that I end up seeing again, they usually thank me.

Just remember, it's your decision and when it comes down to it, you have to make only yourself happy. Everyone else's opinion doesn't matter. Good luck

[Stacekat]

http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/2004...s-708515.shtml

Ok, read that article and then talk to your Greek Life Director on campus to see who they are. He/She will probably disclose it to you. Make sure one of your top choices are not these chapters. Not that they are bad chapters but, if USC is looking into it, I guarantee you that thier Nationals are also doing an investigation. It is a well documented fact that a lot of the sororities and fraternites have closed at USC due strictly to "Risk Management" issues.

I would honestly talk to the Greek Life Director and get his/her imput. It is their job to make sure that everyone is happy with the house they choose and to help potential members make a wise descision.

[PsychTau]

Originally posted by MrTrojanMan
im looking for an answer like : sae guys are really down to earth with great party planning skills. or sigma nu has the most organized philanthropy with the most people in attendance. or lambda chi has a strong alumni presence and support. or that pike tends to be more of a liability issue with the university. or that tke is falling apart and loosing its charter by next yr.

What have you observed this semester? Surely you were paying attention, maybe even going to events, philanthropies, fundraisers...especially if you are considering joining. Think about what you saw with your own two eyes, not just what you hear.

PsychTau

[MrTrojanMan]

thanks a lot for the link. i really apreciate it.

well i have narrowed down my choices to sae, sigma nu, lambda chi, and pike.

anybody have more info on these chapters?

it doesnt seem as though there are many SC or socal people roaming these boards. where is the trojan family at???

[kddani]

Originally posted by MrTrojanMan
it doesnt seem as though there are many SC or socal people roaming these boards. where is the trojan family at???

Probably keeping their mouths shut so that you can make your own decision, not one based on other's opinions

[bruinaphi]

Originally posted by Stacekat
Ok, read that article and then talk to your Greek Life Director on campus to see who they are. He/She will probably disclose it to you. It is a well documented fact that a lot of the sororities and fraternites have closed at USC due strictly to "Risk Management" issues.

1) I don't know if you've ever met Beth Saul or Ken Taylor, but if you have, I don't think you know them very well if you think they would disclose this kind of information. Violations of the rules like the ones alleged in the DT article would likely go to student conduct and unless a group is then kicked off campus, it is unlikely that members of the public would really find out exactly what their punishments were.

2) I don't know where you are getting your information but I am not aware of any sorority ever closing at USC due strictly to "Risk Management" issues. Granted, I've only been advising there for about 8 years, but my mother and my grandmother were both involved in greek life at USC prior to my involvement and neither of them recall anything along those lines either.

MrTrojanMan, I agree with others who have posted in this thread that you have to meet the men in the fraternities and make your own decisions. I have a lot of friends who joined various organizations at USC and all loved their experiences. Betarulz! provided you with a great way to sit down and put your thoughts together.

[MrTrojanMan]

yes yes thank you all for the concern. the truth is, ive heard all this before. i like to think that i know what i am doiing. i just need a little first hand advise form the USC peeps, if theyre even out there. jeez. way to represent just playin.

come on USC peeps, i know you're out there somewhere.